Ex-migrant benefactor now helps others
By Zhou Yan Ding Xiuling and Liang Aiping |
January 31, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A NORTHWEST China man has become an anonymous hero after launching a charity campaign to help needy migrants get home for the Spring Festival, China's most important holiday, which falls on Thursday/February 3.
"I'm not from a wealthy or powerful family and I don't want to be famous," said Wang Le (not his real name), 23, from Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province. "I just want to lend a helping hand to those in need, with a train ticket home or a gift for their family."
Wang posted "Let me help you if you are penniless and unable to go home" at mop.com on January 13, saying he was willing to pay for train tickets, bus fares or gifts for anyone too poor to afford a trip home.
The posting, which many Internet users described as "the first ray of sunshine" they saw in the New Year, has received almost 2 million clicks and been followed by more than 10,000 responses.
Most of the messages were friendly, left by migrant workers and jobless graduates who desperately needed a ticket home, a new coat or some much-needed medicine for aging parents. Some were left by curious Internet users who were moved by Wang's kindness and were watching with interest to see if he keep his promise.
In less than two weeks, Wang has remitted more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,519) to more than 60 people. For every remittance, he posts a photocopy of the remittance notice on mop.com. Wang spent at least 15 hours on the Internet every day giving prompt responses to every applicant.
For everyone who asks for financial support, Wang requests a photocopy of their ID and chats with the applicant, either online or by phone, to confirm the applicant is really in need. "Occasionally I need to call their families, pretending to be a friend, and find out if they are telling the truth," said Wang, "More often I rely on my instincts. You can feel it when someone is telling a lie, and it's not really worth lying for a meager 100 or 200 yuan."
Jiang Weihua, a college student in central Hubei Province, received 100 yuan. Jiang's parents both died young and he was brought up by his sister. With the money, Jiang bought a toy guitar for his nephew. Meanwhile, he is working as a waiter to earn his train ticket. "I would be too greedy to ask for more," he said.
Obscure hero
Wang's charity campaign has made him famous in cyberspace. Many know him as "Brother Help."
To protect his privacy, Wang declines media exposure and refuses to answer questions about himself. He even left a message on mop.com for journalists, asking them to leave him alone. Xinhua's requests for an interview were turned down repeatedly before Wang agreed to a casual meeting in his office, on condition that his true identity not be revealed.
"I just want to help the poor because I know how it feels to be poor," he said. Wang's father died when he was 9 and he dropped out of school at age 15, fled home and wandered around.
In 2008 he became a migrant worker in Shenzhen, the southern boom town near Hong Kong, earning 1,000 yuan a month. "But half of my wages was spent on rent and I was never able to save. When Spring Festival was approaching, my boss insisted we would be paid after the holiday. I had only 40 yuan from the previous month."
Unable to go home, Wang ate his New Year dinner alone - instant noodles with some chicken. "When my mom called, I told her I was having a feast with friends. In fact, everyone else was gone and I never met anyone until a week later."
Skepticism
Today, Wang runs his own company in Xi'an, near his hometown, Tongchuan. Wang had not told his mother and girlfriend of his charity work. "They won't understand, especially my mom, who fears being poor again."
Wang said he enjoyed being an anonymous hero and would continue the charity work next year. While the majority of Internet users show respect, Wang's posting also draws skepticism and even hostile comments, saying he was "either a swindler or an avid profiteer advertising his private business."
"My company deals in coal and operates well enough even without advertising," Wang said.
Many people offered to join him in the charity campaign, but Wang accepted only a college sophomore in Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province. "I don't know his name, but he is always online and has spent more than 2,000 yuan on this."
To Wang's surprise, many people who sought help were troubled by the scarcity of train tickets rather than the fares. "They thought I was a scalper who could obtain tickets for them. I have repeated up to 100 times I am not."
But a hard-won train ticket is unobtainable for many travelers this holiday season. This year, the Chinese are expected to make a record 2.85 billion passenger trips during the 40-day passenger rush before and after the Spring Festival, up 11.6 percent from last year.
"I'm not from a wealthy or powerful family and I don't want to be famous," said Wang Le (not his real name), 23, from Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province. "I just want to lend a helping hand to those in need, with a train ticket home or a gift for their family."
Wang posted "Let me help you if you are penniless and unable to go home" at mop.com on January 13, saying he was willing to pay for train tickets, bus fares or gifts for anyone too poor to afford a trip home.
The posting, which many Internet users described as "the first ray of sunshine" they saw in the New Year, has received almost 2 million clicks and been followed by more than 10,000 responses.
Most of the messages were friendly, left by migrant workers and jobless graduates who desperately needed a ticket home, a new coat or some much-needed medicine for aging parents. Some were left by curious Internet users who were moved by Wang's kindness and were watching with interest to see if he keep his promise.
In less than two weeks, Wang has remitted more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,519) to more than 60 people. For every remittance, he posts a photocopy of the remittance notice on mop.com. Wang spent at least 15 hours on the Internet every day giving prompt responses to every applicant.
For everyone who asks for financial support, Wang requests a photocopy of their ID and chats with the applicant, either online or by phone, to confirm the applicant is really in need. "Occasionally I need to call their families, pretending to be a friend, and find out if they are telling the truth," said Wang, "More often I rely on my instincts. You can feel it when someone is telling a lie, and it's not really worth lying for a meager 100 or 200 yuan."
Jiang Weihua, a college student in central Hubei Province, received 100 yuan. Jiang's parents both died young and he was brought up by his sister. With the money, Jiang bought a toy guitar for his nephew. Meanwhile, he is working as a waiter to earn his train ticket. "I would be too greedy to ask for more," he said.
Obscure hero
Wang's charity campaign has made him famous in cyberspace. Many know him as "Brother Help."
To protect his privacy, Wang declines media exposure and refuses to answer questions about himself. He even left a message on mop.com for journalists, asking them to leave him alone. Xinhua's requests for an interview were turned down repeatedly before Wang agreed to a casual meeting in his office, on condition that his true identity not be revealed.
"I just want to help the poor because I know how it feels to be poor," he said. Wang's father died when he was 9 and he dropped out of school at age 15, fled home and wandered around.
In 2008 he became a migrant worker in Shenzhen, the southern boom town near Hong Kong, earning 1,000 yuan a month. "But half of my wages was spent on rent and I was never able to save. When Spring Festival was approaching, my boss insisted we would be paid after the holiday. I had only 40 yuan from the previous month."
Unable to go home, Wang ate his New Year dinner alone - instant noodles with some chicken. "When my mom called, I told her I was having a feast with friends. In fact, everyone else was gone and I never met anyone until a week later."
Skepticism
Today, Wang runs his own company in Xi'an, near his hometown, Tongchuan. Wang had not told his mother and girlfriend of his charity work. "They won't understand, especially my mom, who fears being poor again."
Wang said he enjoyed being an anonymous hero and would continue the charity work next year. While the majority of Internet users show respect, Wang's posting also draws skepticism and even hostile comments, saying he was "either a swindler or an avid profiteer advertising his private business."
"My company deals in coal and operates well enough even without advertising," Wang said.
Many people offered to join him in the charity campaign, but Wang accepted only a college sophomore in Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province. "I don't know his name, but he is always online and has spent more than 2,000 yuan on this."
To Wang's surprise, many people who sought help were troubled by the scarcity of train tickets rather than the fares. "They thought I was a scalper who could obtain tickets for them. I have repeated up to 100 times I am not."
But a hard-won train ticket is unobtainable for many travelers this holiday season. This year, the Chinese are expected to make a record 2.85 billion passenger trips during the 40-day passenger rush before and after the Spring Festival, up 11.6 percent from last year.
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